


True To Her Name

by eyesasblackasthevoid



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Polyamorous Inquisitor (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 11:19:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10695939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyesasblackasthevoid/pseuds/eyesasblackasthevoid
Summary: Cadence: a rhythmic flow of sounds





	True To Her Name

A migraine hit Kasra while he was studying in the library. 

The musty smell of the old tome in front of him, a smell he was usually fond of was suddenly twisted by his current heightened senses into something akin to rot. With a sneer, and then a sigh, he closed the volume. Frustration washed over him because he was eager to continue working, but the pain steadily increasing in his head would soon make that impossible.

Kasra headed up to Cadence’s quarters because her bed is so much softer than his own. He wondered why that was. Was it actually, physically softer or was it all her? Was it the memories of her in his arms to comfort him? The cool mountain breeze in from the balcony during the day? The warmth of the fireplace at night to make the bed all that more inviting? 

Regardless, he lay there, eyes forced closed, trying to sleep it off, but it was a fruitless effort. The pulsing in his left temple reverberated through his whole head. It wreaked havoc on his stomach and spread nausea like wildfire. He swore he could even feel it in his horns.

He found he couldn't stand to lay down anymore, not with the way the pain was buzzing and humming, like one of Sera’s jars of bees. Sitting up didn't prove much better, vertigo hitting him and the room around him tilted and shuddered before settling back to normal. He did so with a groan, rubbing circles into his brow, taking slow, deep breaths like the healer told him. The pain didn't budge, not content to leave him anytime soon.

His mother gets headaches like this too and has always blamed her magic. A strong affinity for electricity not playing nice with the currents naturally in the air. Kasra has concluded that his come about the same way. His brother on the other hand, favoring ice over storm in his spells, has never complained of migraines.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed while he sat there on the side of her bed, face cradled in his hands, rocking gently to try and soothe himself. It didn’t help much, but he kept doing it anyway, and that’s how Cadence found him.

He didn’t notice her presence until she spoke. “Another headache, vhenan?”

He forced himself to look up at her, in spite of the protesting pressure and effort it took in which to do so. “Yeah. I was practicing new techniques with chain lightning earlier, and not long after it started to set in.”

Cadence frowned. She almost wanted to suggest he pull back on all his research, to spend just a little less time on it for his own sake, but knew how much his work meant to him. Since joining the Inquisition, he’d become dedicated to arcane study. It made him feel useful, as though he was more than just another mercenary captain on the Inquisitor’s payroll. He'd already stopped regularly accompanying her outside of Skyhold to fight by her side, she couldn’t bear to suggest that he stop his research now.

“Nothing the healers have given you has helped?” She inquired, sitting beside him. She rested her hand on his bare back. It felt cool against his warm, flushed skin as she lazily massaged figure-eights across his shoulder blades and down his spine.

“No. The only thing that’s ever helped is.....well, it’s dumb.”

“I’m sure it’s not. If it’ll help it’s worth it. I don’t get headaches like you do, but I can tell they’re something awful. I wanna help if I can.“

Somehow, he conjured a smile for her he was certain a moment earlier, given his present state, wasn’t in him. "Alright, well…my mother used to sing to me. Softly, of course. Lullabies, old folk tunes. It’s silly, but she did that for me up until I was in my teens. I can’t say it actually makes the pain go away, but it does-”

Before he could finish explaining, she started singing. He recognized the Elvhen tongue right away. A song from her clan maybe? It didn’t matter what it was, the sound was bliss. Her voice was like her namesake, carrying the tune in a sweet and steady rhythm. She hummed through the words she couldn’t remember, but that mattered little to him as he didn’t even notice.

She kept up rubbing his back as she sang, resting her head against his shoulder. She stopped only for a moment when the first song came to an end and she had to give some thought to what she could sing next.

She sang a song he'd heard in the tavern plenty of times. The one about Grey Wardens. Then came another in her native tongue. He could've listened to her all night.

The following one certainly wasn’t in Elvish. Orlesian? Yes, it had to be. The language sounded truly foreign in her mouth and he had to wonder where she picked up that tune.

Then, like she could read his mind she stopped singing and said, “I sang in a lot of taverns all over Thedas. I’ve learned so many songs, some I’m not even sure their meaning other than the one it carries in its melody. I miss music, Kasra….….I don’t have much time for it anymore. I miss a lot of foolish things I used to do.”

“Nothing that sounds that lovely is something I’d ever consider foolish, my love,” He assured her softly, his tired voice breaking slightly on the endearment.

“You should lay down, try to sleep this off. I know I can’t sing away your pain, as much as I might like to.”

“You were getting pretty damn close.”

Cadence smiled at the compliment then pressed her lips to his, hand reaching up to caress his cheek, “Get some rest. I’ll be in the tavern with Bull should you feel better later.” 

“Alright, but you two better not have too much fun without me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, vhenan.”


End file.
